Play review: 'Shabd Leela'

Director: Akarsh Khurana
Duration: 130 minutes
Cast: Ila Arun, Rajeshwari Sachdev, Varun Badola, KK Raina, Abhishek Pandey
Language: Hindi
Rating: 3.0/ 5
Plot: The play is a reading/performance of extracts from Hindi playwright Dharamvir Bharti’s works including the poem Kanupriya, Andha Yug and letters written to his wife
Review: Shabd Leela is more of an experimental play rather than a conventional one.In it, Varun Badola plays the role of the protagonist, Dharamvir Bharti, and Ila Arun serves as the narrator in some parts of the play. In another segment of the play, she also plays the role of Gandhari from 'Mahabharata'. Rajeshwari Sachdev, on the other hand, plays Radha in the 'Andha Yug' section. In other parts, she plays the protagonist’s wife.
A word of caution for anyone wanting to see the play: it is in chaste Hindi. So, if your knowledge of the language is limited, there is a lot you will miss. For purists who love Bharti’s work, this one will surely be a delight. Director KK Raina has chosen some of the writer’s most entertaining letters that give an insight about the relationship that he shared with both his wives. While the letters are interesting, they are not the strongest part of the play. The enactment of Bharti’s acclaimed poem, 'Kanupriya', too pales in comparison to the 'Andha Yug' part. That part is where all the action happens and overshadows the other bits. Bharti’s play, written back in 1954, remains as poignant as the day it was penned and elevates the viewing experience that is, for the most part, relegated to seeing the actors read out his work.